1Na ko nga iwi enei i waiho e Ihowa ko ratou hei whakamatautau i a Iharaira, ara ko nga mea o Iharaira kihai i mohio ki nga pakanga katoa o Kanaana; 2Mo nga whakatupuranga ano ia o nga tamariki a Iharaira kia mohio, kia ako ki te whawhai, ara mo te hunga kihai i mohio ki tera i mua; 3Na, ko nga rangatira tokorima o nga Pirihitini, ko nga Kanaani katoa, ko nga Haironi ratou ko nga Hiwi i noho i Maunga Repanona, i Maunga Paaraheremona a tae noa ki te haerenga atu ki Hamata. 4Ko ratou hei whakamatautau mo Iharaira, kia mohiotia ai e rongo ranei ratou ki nga whakahau a Ihowa i whakahaua e ia ki o ratou matua, he mea whakapuaki na Mohi. 5Na ka noho nga tamariki a Iharaira ki waenganui o nga Kanaani, o nga Hiti, o nga Amori, o nga Perihi, o nga Hiwi, o nga Iepuhi: 6A ka tango i a ratou tamahine hei wahine ma ratou, ka hoatu hoki i a ratou tamahine ki a ratou tama, ka mahi ano hoki ki o ratou atua. 7Na kua mahi nga tamariki a Iharaira i te kino i te tirohanga o Ihowa, wareware ake ki a Ihowa, ki to ratou Atua, mahi ana hoki ki nga Paara, ki te Ahataroto. 8Na ka mura te riri o Ihowa ki a Iharaira, a hokona atu ana ratou e ia ki te ringa o Kuhanarihataimi kingi o Mehopotamia. Na e waru nga tau i mahi ai nga tama a Iharaira ki a Kuhanarihataimi. 9A, no te tangihanga a nga tamariki a Iharaira ki a Ihowa, ka whakaarahia ake e Ihowa he kaiwhakaora mo nga tamariki a Iharaira, nana ratou i whakaora; ara a Otoniere tama a Kenaha teina o Karepe. 10Na i tau iho ki runga i a ia te wairua o Ihowa, a i whakawa ia mo Iharaira; i haere hoki ki te whawhai; a homai ana e Ihowa ki tona ringa a Kuhanarihataimi kingi o Mehopotamia: na kua kaha tona ringa ki te whawhai ki a Kuhanarihataimi. 11A e wha tekau nga tau i okioki ai te whenua i te whawhai. Na ka mate a Otoniere, tama a Kenaha. 12Na ka mahi kino ano nga tama a Iharaira i te tirohanga a Ihowa, a ka whakakahangia e Ihowa a Ekerona kingi o Moapa ki te whawhai ki a Iharaira, mo ratou i mahi kino i te tirohanga a Ihowa. 13Na ka huihuia e ia ki a ia nga tamariki a Amona ratou ko Amareke, a haere ana, patua ana e ia a Iharaira, a tangohia ana e ia te pa nikau. 14A kotahi tekau ma waru nga tau i mahi ai nga tamariki a Iharaira ki a Ekerona, kingi o Moapa. 15No te tangihanga ia a nga tama a Iharaira ki a Ihowa, ka whakaarahia ake e Ihowa he kaiwhakaora mo ratou, a Ehuru tama a Kera, he Pineamini, he tangata ringa maui; na ka hoatu e nga tama a Iharaira he takoha kia kawea e ia ki a Ekerona kingi o M oapa. 16Otiia kua oti i a Ehuru tetahi hoari te hanga mana; e rua ona mata, kotahi whatianga te roa; na ka whitikiria e ia i roto i ona kakahu ki tona huha matau. 17Na ko tana tukunga i te takoha ki a Ekerona kingi o Moapa; na he tangata tetere rawa a Ekerona. 18A ka mutu ta tera tuku i te takoha ka tonoa atu e ia te hunga i mauria mai ai te takoha. 19Ko ia tonu ia i hoki whakamuri atu i nga whakapakoko i Kirikara, ka mea, He kupu huna taku ki a koe, e te kingi. Na ka mea tera, Whakarongoa! Na mawehe atu ana i a ia te hunga katoa e tu ana i tona taha. 20Na ka haere atu a Ehuru ki a ia; a e noho ana ia ko ia anake i tona ruma raumati. Na ka mea a Ehuru, He kupu na te Atua taku ki a koe. Na ka whakatika ia i tona nohoanga. 21Na ka torona e Ehuru tona ringa maui, ka mau ki te hoari i tona huha matau, werohia ana ki tona kopu. 22A ngoto tahi atu ana te kakau me te mata, a tutakina iho te mata e te ngako, kihai i unuhia mai te hoari i roto i tona kopu, a puta atu ana ki muri. 23Na ka haere atu a Ehuru na te whakamahau, a tutakina atu ana e ia nga tatau o te ruma ki a ia, kiia iho hoki. 24A, i tona haerenga atu, ka haere mai nga pononga a tera, na, i to ratou kitenga kua kiia nga tatau o te ruma, ka mea ratou, He pono kei te uhi ia i ona waewae i te ruma raumati. 25Tatari noa ratou a ka whakama: na, kihai ia i whakapuare i nga tatau o te ruma; katahi ratou ka mau ki te ki, a whakapuaretia ana. Na, ko to ratou ariki kua hinga ki te whenua, kua mate. 26Ko Ehuru ia i mawhiti i a ratou e tatari roa ana, a kua tae ki tua i nga whakapakoko, kua mawhiti ki Heirata. 27A, no tona taenga, ka whakatangihia e ia te tetere ki te whenua maunga o Eparaima, a heke ana nga tamariki a Iharaira i runga i te maunga hei hoa mona, ko ia hoki i mua i a ratou. 28Na ka mea ia ki a ratou, Haere mai i muri i ahau, kua homai hoki e Ihowa nga Moapi, o koutou hoariri ki o koutou ringa. Na heke ana ratou i muri i a ia, a ka riro mai i a ratou nga whitinga atu o Horano i nga Moapi; kihai hoki i tukua tetahi tan gata kia whiti atu. 29Na patua iho e ratou nga Moapi i taua wa, me te mea tekau mano nga tangata, te hunga pakari anake, nga marohirohi katoa; kihai hoki tetahi i mawhiti. 30Na ka hinga a Moapa i taua ra i te ringa o Iharaira. A e waru tekau nga tau i okioki ai te whenua i te pakanga. 31A i muri i a ia ko Hamakara tama a Anata, a patua iho e ia nga Pirihitini, e ono rau tangata, ki te wero kau: na ka ora ano a Iharaira i a ia.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 NATIONS LEFT TO PROVE ISRAEL. (
Judg 3:1-
Judg 3:4)
these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel--This was the special design of these nations being left, and it evinces the direct influence of the theocracy under which the Israelites were placed. These nations were left for a double purpose: in the first instance, to be instrumental, by their inroads, in promoting the moral and spiritual discipline of the Israelites; and also to subserve the design of making them acquainted with war, in order that the young, more especially, who were total strangers to it, might learn the use of weapons and the art of wielding them.
5 BY COMMUNION WITH THESE THE ISRAELITES COMMIT IDOLATRY. (
Judg 3:5-
Judg 3:7)
the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites--The two peoples by degrees came to be on habits of intercourse. Reciprocal alliances were formed by marriage till the Israelites, relaxing the austerity of their principles, showed a growing conformity to the manners and worship of their idolatrous neighbors.
8 OTHNIEL DELIVERS ISRAEL. (
Judg 3:8-
Judg 3:11)
sold them--that is, "delivered them"
into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim--or, Chushan, "the wicked." This name had been probably given him from his cruel and impious character.
served Chushan-rishathaim eight years--by the payment of a stipulated tribute yearly, the raising of which must have caused a great amount of labor and privation.
9 when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord--In their distress they had recourse to earnest prayer, accompanied by humble and penitent confession of their errors.
Othniel--(See on
Josh 15:16;
Judg 1:13). His military experience qualified him for the work, while the gallant exploits he was known to have performed, gained him the full confidence of his countrymen in his ability as a leader.
10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel, and went out to war--Impelled by a supernatural influence, he undertook the difficult task of government at this national crisis--addressing himself to promote a general reformation of manners, the abolition of idolatry, and the revival of pure religion. After these preliminary measures, he collected a body of choice warriors to expel the foreign oppressors.
the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim--No details are given of this war, which, considering the resources of so potent a monarch, must have been a determined struggle. But the Israelitish arms were crowned through the blessing of God with victory, and Canaan regained its freedom and independence.
11 Othniel . . . died--How powerful the influence of one good man is, in church or state, is best found in his loss [BISHOP HALL].
12 EHUD SLAYS EGLON. (Jdg. 3:12-30)
the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord--The Israelites, deprived of the moral and political influences of Othniel, were not long in following their native bias to idolatry.
the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab--The reigning monarch's ambition was to recover that extensive portion of his ancient territory possessed by the Israelites. In conjunction with his neighbors, the Ammonites and the Amalekites, sworn enemies of Israel, he first subjected the eastern tribes; then crossing the Jordan, he made a sudden incursion on western Canaan, and in virtue of his conquests, erected fortifications in the territory adjoining Jericho [JOSEPHUS], to secure the frontier, and fixed his residence there. This oppressor was permitted, in the providence of God, to triumph for eighteen years.
15 Ehud the son of Gera--descended from Gera, one of Benjamin's sons (
Gen 46:21).
left-handed--This peculiarity distinguished many in the Benjamite tribe (
Judg 20:16). But the original word is rendered in some versions "both-handed," a view countenanced by
1Chr 12:2.
by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab--the yearly tribute, which, according to Eastern fashion, would be borne with ostentatious ceremony and offered (
Judg 3:18) by several messengers.
16 Ehud made him a dagger . . . and he did gird it . . . upon his right thigh--The sword was usually worn on the left side; so that Ehud's was the more likely to escape detection.
19 quarries--rather, "graven images" (
Deut 7:25;
Jer 8:19;
Jer 51:52); statues of Moabite idols, the sight of which kindled the patriotic zeal of Ehud to avenge this public insult to Israel on its author.
I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence--"Privacy"--a signal for all to withdraw.
20 a summer parlour--Hebrew, "chamber of cooling"--one of those retired edifices which Oriental grandees usually have in their gardens, and in which they repose during the heat of the day.
21 Ehud put forth his left hand--The whole circumstance of this daring act--the death of Eglon without a shriek, or noise--the locking of the doors--the carrying off the key--the calm, unhurried deportment of Ehud--show the strength of his confidence that he was doing God service.
27 he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim--summoned to arms the people of that mountainous region, which, adjoining the territory of Benjamin, had probably suffered most from the grievous oppression of the Moabites.
28 they went down after him, and took the fords--(See on
Josh 2:7). With the view of preventing all escape to the Moabite coast, and by the slaughter of ten thousand men [
Judg 3:29], Ehud rescued his country from a state of ignominious vassalage.
31 after him was Shamgar--No notice is given of the tribe or family of this judge; and from the Philistines being the enemy that roused him into public service, the suffering seems to have been local--confined to some of the western tribes.
slew . . . six hundred men with an oxgoad--This instrument is eight feet long and about six inches in circumference. It is armed at the lesser end with a sharp prong for driving the cattle, and on the other with a small iron paddle for removing the clay which encumbers the plough in working. Such an instrument, wielded by a strong arm, would do no mean execution. We may suppose, however, for the notice is very fragmentary, that Shamgar was only the leader of a band of peasants, who by means of such implements of labor as they could lay hold of at the moment, achieved the heroic exploit recorded.